Grow From Here

Search Engine Optimization (”SEO”) has become a dangerous phrase.  It can be over-used, abused and extremely deceiving.  Everyone with a business wants to drive traffic and increase sales.  Everyone knows that some people are very successful at this.  It would be lovely if there were simple steps to follow to improve search engine optimization on websites – and in fact, there are, but there are also a lot of people out there promising results that may not be what you’re looking for (even if they deliver on their promise).

The SEO Dance

Search Engine Optimization is a little like a dance.  You need to know the steps (what to do, how to do it), and then you need to add your own personal flair (value, personality, content).  But there are a lot of people out there promising a magic bullet, and it’s important to know what you’re looking for.  As I said in my posting about the most important question to ask about your website, the most important thing to think about relating to search engine optimization is what you’re trying to achieve (this question is becoming my mantra).  Are you trying to

• Grow your business & increase sales?
• Make money?
• Build a reputation and a brand?
• Get the most traffic possible? 

Once you know what you’re trying to achieve, then you can go out & find a company that does a good job optimizing websites for your purpose.  If you get the purpose wrong, the results are unlikely to make you happy. 

Traffic Cowboys Story

Chris at XModus Ecommerce solution, has some great posts about what can go wrong with SEO, and what to watch out for.  His recent post about traffic cowboys is a great introduction to what can go wrong.  He tells the stories of the behind the scenes ways that some companies can drive traffic to a website – but it may not be traffic that will lead to sales.  Read his post to learn about the difference between driving traffic and driving shoppers – it’s a salutary warning to anyone talking with companies that offer search engine optimization.  He also has a great post about the potential conflict of interest for some SEO consultants.

A Simple Strategy

I recently designed a simple strategy for getting eyeballs for someone who has a new product, knows all the marketing tips & tricks, but wasn’t sure what to start.  The steps were almost too simple.

1. Know what you are selling and why people will care (that last part is critical – what’s the emotional hook & what matters to them)
2. Do a channel audit (were can you easily get the word out?  what resources do you already have?)
3. Know what your potential clients will be search for (what words do they use, where do they look, where do they hang out?)
4. Test your assumptions in 1,2 & 3
5. Set up your website/blog/twitter for the people and marketing you have identified in 1-4
6. Develop great content (value, value, value and unique)
7. Create standard blurbs that express your value proposition (clearly expressing the benefits and using the keywords people are searching on)
8. Make sure you can track your results (visitors, traffic, conversions)
9. Use your channels & post your marketing copy
10. Watch the results and adjust as needed

Of course there is lots that can be done beyond this, but remember that you either need to know the answers to 1, 2 and 3 before you talk with an SEO consultant, or you need to find a consultant who will help you determine the answers to those.  All the techniques in the world aren’t very useful if you don’t know why people will care about your offering, or if you can’t express it in a way that resonates for them, or if you’re marketing it in places where your prospects don’t spend time.

Katryn Best Practices, Communication, Search Engine Optimization